Hame-hook.



Patented Oct. 3|, I899. W.'W. ADKINS.

HAME HOOK.

(Application filed Kay 15, 1899.)

(No Model.)

/NVENTOR Wi W 07015.

1 lforuey IVITAVESSES UNITED STATES WILLIAM WOOD ADKINS, OF

PATENT OFFIoE.

JACKSONVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

HAlVlE-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,096, dated October31, 1899.

Application filed May 15, 1899. Serial No. 716,910. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM Woon ADKINS, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residin g at J acksonville, in the county of Kemper and State ofMississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in HameAttachments; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to hames, and particularly to fastenings orlatches attached thereto; and the purpose of the same is to accommodatean easy application or separation of a tug or trace-chain in theoperation of connectin g up or disconnecting harness, particularly inheavy draft appliances of this char acter.

The invention consists, primarily, of a hame having a staple securedthereto, a latch-plate movably supported by said staple and having aslotted free end provided with knuckles for the reception of a couplingpin or bolt, and a keeper with an angular head attached to one side ofthe said latch-plate and shiftable to and from the head of the couplingpin or bolt to hold the latter in place and against accidentaldisengagement.

The invention further consists of the details of construction andarrangementof the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hame,showing the improved fastening or latch thereon and a portion of a tugor trace-chain in dotted lines and in attached position. Fig. 2 is adetail perspective view of the improved fastening or latch.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar numerals are used to indicatecorresponding I parts in the views, the numeral 1 designates A a hame ofany preferred form of construction and material, and at a suitableelevation thereon a staple2 is secured. By means of an inner elongatedknuckle 3 alatch-plate 4 is movably connected. to the said staple 2, andthe outer free end of the said latch-plate has knuckles 5 formed thereonandseparated by a longitudinal slot 6, arranged intermediate thereof andextending into the body of the plate 4. To one side of the upper portionof the plate 4 a keeper 7 is pivotally secured and has anangularly-disposed head 8, which is broader than the body of the keeper,supporting the same and intended to project over the upper edge of saidplate and also the upper termination of the top knuckle 5. The knuckles5 are adapted to removably receive a coupling pin or bolt 9, whichextends across the longitudinal slot intermediate of said knuckles andforms a locking-bearing for the forward link or other analogous deviceof a tug or trace-chain.

Before the tug or trace-chain is connected to the improved fastening orlatch the parts will be arranged as shown by Fig. 2 and the coupling-pinor bolt 9 elevated so as to clear the entrance to the slot 6. Theforward link or other analogous device of the tug or tracechain is theninserted in the slot 6 until the opening is in line with the knuckles,and thereby permit coupling pin or bolt 9 to be head of said couplingpin or bolt, as shown by Fig. 1. When the said keeper is in this latterposition, it is thrown past the center, and therefore will resist anymovements which tend to effect an unlocking of the same, and by thismeans a temporary reliable secure ment is attained and the coupling pinor bolt prevented from working upward in the knuckles 5. The said keeperis of such construction that it can be readily turned over manually whendesired to disconnect the parts, and the head of thecoupling pin or boltmay then be easily grasped and said device lifted to disconnect the tugor trace-chain. The extension of the slot 6 into the body of thelatch-plate is to accommodate the movement of the front link or otherdevice of the tug or trace-chain a sufficient distance to bring theopening through which the coupling pin or bolt is to pass in properalinement for securing purposes.

It will be observed that the improved fastening or latch is of a verysimple nature and that the bearing and strain of the tug or tracechainis brought directlyon the said coupling pin or bolt and transmittedthrough the latch-plate to the staple 2. It is also proposed to have theslot 6 medially located in the plate 4, so as to equalize the strain ortension and overcome any irregularities in Wear and also obviate as muchas possible buckling or bending of said plate 4.

The improved fastening Will not materially add to the cost of the hameto which it is applied, because it includes a simple plate with knucklesat opposite ends, as set forth and constituting the main part of thedevice. The keeper is also simple in its mode of attachment andconstruction, and all parts are of course made of metal, it beingpreferred that the coupling pin or bolt 9 be harder than the plate 4.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is Theimproved hame attachment herein described, consisting of a plate havingat one end an elongated knuckle to receive a staple on a hame, alongitudinal slot at the opposite end of said plate open at the outerend with a knuckle upon each side of the outer end of the slot, acoupling-bolt adapted to engage in the outer knuckles and to traversesaid slot, and a keeper consisting of a substantially vertical armpivotally mounted on said plate in proximity to the inner end of saidslot and having an angularly-disposed head extending across the upperedge of the plate and to engage over the head of the coupling-bolt afterthe latter is inserted in the knuckles, all substantially as shown anddescribed.

In testimony whereof I a'fiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM WOOD ADKINS.

Witnesses:

J. A. ADAMS, W. H. WILKERsoN.

